The present invention relates to an ultrasound diagnostic device and, more particularly, to an ultrasound diagnostic device which is very small, light-weight, portable, and capable of being used in virtually any type of environment and with greater flexibility than other ultrasound diagnostic devices currently available on the market.
Portable ultrasound systems are known in the ultrasound equipment industry. Although the known portable ultrasound systems have been designed to facilitate ease of use and portability, none of the known systems provide a total solution in terms of ergonomics, ease of use, and display image quality. For example, a system might be easy to carry because it is relatively small, but cumbersome to operate due to the fact that the user must manipulate the ultrasound transducer with one hand, which in some cases is a rather bulky piece of equipment, while holding the ultrasound diagnostic device in the other hand. Even if the user does not hold the ultrasound diagnostic device, but rather, places it on a stable surface, the user may have difficulty viewing the image due to limitations relating to the adjustability of the display.
To provide another example, even if the ultrasound diagnostic device has good adjustability with respect to the display, the enclosure may be designed such that it must be placed on a relatively stable, flat surface when not being held by the user. In some environments, such as at the scene of an automobile accident, a stable, flat surface may not be available. This may result in the user having to hold the ultrasound diagnostic device in one hand while using the other hand to manipulate the transducer of the ultrasound diagnostic device. This prevents the user from being able to use a hand to steady the user while obtaining diagnostic measurements, which may be important in certain environments.
For example, Chang, U.S. Pat. No. 5,738,099, issued Apr. 14, 1998, discloses an ultrasound diagnostic device which has a pistol-shaped housing. A small, liquid crystal display is installed in the back end of the housing and a transducer is located on the muzzle of the device. The user holds the device like a pistol when obtaining measurements. Although the Chang patent states that the device is small in volume and light-weight, the display is also very small and is not adjustable. Therefore, the image display quality provided by this device is very limited.
Chiang, et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,690,114, issued Nov. 25, 1997, discloses a portable ultrasound imaging system which is comprised in the form of either a lap top computer, a personal computer (PC) or other type of computer, or a single-piece hand-held device. If a PC or other type of computer is used, it is connected to a cathode ray tube for displaying the ultrasound images. Such a system would be relatively heavy and large in volume and, consequently, not easy for a user to transport. Although lap top computers are relatively small and light weight in comparison to PCs, lap top computers are still relatively large in size due in part to the fact that they implement a full keyboard.
Also, although lap top computers are relatively small in size, there is no disclosure in the Chiang patent of any provision for facilitating carrying the lap top computer or for supporting it on the user""s body when it is being operated. Although the Chiang patent mentions that the system can be comprised as a single-piece hand-held device, there is no further discussion in the patent of this embodiment. Furthermore, since the hand-held device would be comprised as a single piece, there presumably would be no provision for adjusting the angle or position of the display.
Pflugrath, et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,722,412, issued Mar. 3, 1998, discloses a hand-held ultrasound diagnostic instrument which can be comprised as a single-piece unit or as two separate sections. The Pflugrath patent states that the single-piece unit is less than five pounds. The single-piece unit is 20.3 cm high, 11.4 cm wide and 4.5 cm deep. The single-piece unit has an upper portion and a lower portion with the upper portion comprising the display and the lower portion comprising the user controls. Since the unit is comprised as a single piece, the display cannot be positionally adjusted. Furthermore, since the width of the device is very small, the display will also be very small, which limits the image display quality. Also, since the transducer is located in the bottom portion of the unit, the entire unit must be manipulated in order to obtain ultrasound images from the patient""s body. Thus, the ability to view the display will be limited by the positioning of the device to ensure that a suitable image is obtained from the patient.
With respect to the two-unit device disclosed in the Pflugrath patent, the upper unit is connected to the lower unit by a cable. The upper unit comprises the display and the lower unit comprises the user controls. As with the single-piece unit, the transducer is located in the lower portion. The user obtains an image from the patient""s body by using one hand to place the lower portion at an appropriate location on the patient""s body and by using the other hand to hold the upper portion at a suitable viewing position. Therefore, the user is unable to manipulate the controls while obtaining an ultrasound image because both hands are occupied for the purpose of holding the upper and lower portions. All of these shortcomings adversely affect the ease of use and image display quality of the device.
These are only examples of some of the shortcomings of known portable ultrasound diagnostic systems. These examples demonstrate that none of the known systems provide an overall solution in terms of ergonomics, ease of use and image display quality. Accordingly, a need exists for a portable ultrasound diagnostic device which meets all of these goals.
The present invention provides an ultrasound diagnostic device for acquiring and processing ultrasound images. The device comprises a console portion and a display portion which are coupled together to allow the display portion to be positionally adjusted with respect to the console portion. The console portion comprises a control panel which comprises a plurality of input keys. A user may input commands on the control panel by actuating one or more keys on the control panel. The console portion comprises electrical control circuitry which receives electrical signals from the control panel which correspond to commands entered by the user on the control panel. The electrical control circuitry processes the electrical signals and performs operations on an ultrasound image being displayed on a display monitor. The ultrasound images being displayed on the display monitor may be modified by the electrical control circuitry in response to one or more keys of the control panel being actuated by the user. A transducer receptacle disposed on the console portion allows a transducer assembly to be connected to the console portion. The transducer assembly comprises a transducer, a cable and a connector, which can be used by the user to acquire ultrasound image information from a subject.
Preferably, the ultrasound diagnostic device is extremely light-weight. The transducer receptacle is adapted to allow the transducer assembly to be easily connected to and disconnected from the transducer receptacle. This allows different transducer assemblies which may be used for performing different types of ultrasound imaging tasks to be utilized with the ultrasound diagnostic device of the present invention.
The ultrasound diagnostic device may be adapted to allow a strap assembly to be connected to the ultrasound diagnostic device. The strap assembly is designed to allow the ultrasound diagnostic device to be carried over the shoulder of the user or to be placed around the neck of the user. When placed about the neck of the user, the ultrasound diagnostic device is maintained by the strap assembly in a position which is substantially parallel to the floor. In this position, the control panel and the display monitor are disposed so that the ultrasound diagnostic device can be fully operated by the user. This feature of the present invention maximizes the ergonomics and ease of use of the ultrasound diagnostic device.
The ultrasound diagnostic device may be equipped with a handle to enable the device to be easily carried by hand. The ultrasound device may be configured to store images in a standard format, such as the JPEG or TIFF formats, for example, so that the images can easily be archived, viewed, printed, etc., by a home user.
Preferably, the ultrasound diagnostic device is comprised in the form of a lap top computer, but is significantly smaller than typical lap top computers. The display portion of the ultrasound diagnostic device can be positionally adjusted with respect to the control panel portion in the same manner in which the display portion of a typical lap top computer can be adjusted. The display portion remains in place until the user re-adjusts it. This feature of the present invention facilitates viewing of the image be the user, thereby enhancing overall image display quality.
These and other features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following description, drawings and claims.